1,000 Words: Old Books, Fresh Eggs

On a road trip, I can never find time for books. Instead, I end up reading street signs and atlases, menus in greasy diners, or historical markers at strange, abandoned roadside attractions where I stop to stretch my legs. A few weeks ago, I traced counterclockwise circle inside Wyoming’s decidedly square shape. In Sweetwater Station, a sign offers “Old Books, Fresh Eggs For Sale.” The store is called Mad Dog and the Pilgrim, and it sits at the edge of grassy plains, down a rocky driveway. The book barn delivers on the promise with well-arranged shelves and piles. We pick up Robert Halmi’s “Guide To Photographing Women” (1956) and Isabel Shirley’s “How to Pose for the Camera” (1965), and, for good measure, Ian Frazier’s “On The Rez.” Back to the car; there’s no room for eggs.